ICSE

ICSE Class 10 English SolutionsThe Inchcape Rock [Poem]

Passage 1

Question 1
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

No stir in the air, no stir in the sea,
The Ship was still as she could be;
Her sails from heaven received no motion,
Her keel was steady in the ocean.

Without either sign or sound of their shock,
The waves flow’d over the Inchcape Rock;
So little they rose, so little they fell,
They did not move the Inchcape Bell.

What is the rhyme scheme of the given lines?

Answer:
The rhyme scheme of the given lines is aa-bb-cc-dd.

Question 2
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

No stir in the air, no stir in the sea,
The Ship was still as she could be;
Her sails from heaven received no motion,
Her keel was steady in the ocean.

Without either sign or sound of their shock,
The waves flow’d over the Inchcape Rock;
So little they rose, so little they fell,
They did not move the Inchcape Bell.

Why didn’t the waves move the Inchcape bell?

Answer:
The waves were small and there was no stir in the air or sea therefore they did not move the Inchcape bell.

Question 3
RRead the extract and answer the questions that follow:

No stir in the air, no stir in the sea,
The Ship was still as she could be;
Her sails from heaven received no motion,
Her keel was steady in the ocean.

Without either sign or sound of their shock,
The waves flow’d over the Inchcape Rock;
So little they rose, so little they fell,
They did not move the Inchcape Bell.

Which lines indicate that the ocean was calm and steady?

Answer:
The lines ‘No stir in the air, no stir in the sea’ and ‘So little they rose, so little they fell’ indicates that the ocean was calm and steady.

Question 4
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

No stir in the air, no stir in the sea,
The Ship was still as she could be;
Her sails from heaven received no motion,
Her keel was steady in the ocean.

Without either sign or sound of their shock,
The waves flow’d over the Inchcape Rock;
So little they rose, so little they fell,
They did not move the Inchcape Bell.

Name and explain the figures of speech in
a. Without either sign or sound of their shock,
b. So little they rose, so little they fell,

Answer:
Without either sign or sound of their shock,
Alliteration: The sound ‘s’ has been repeated in the words ‘sound’ and ‘shock’.

So little they rose, so little they fell,
Repetition: The phrase ‘so little they’ has been repeated in the lines for poetic effect.

Passage 2

Question 1
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

The Abbot of Aberbrothok
Had placed that bell on the Inchcape Rock;
On a buoy in the storm it floated and swung,
And over the waves its warning rung.

When the Rock was hid by the surge’s swell,
The Mariners heard the warning Bell;
And then they knew the perilous Rock,
And blest the Abbot of Aberbrothok

Why was the bell placed on the rock?

Answer:
The bell was placed on the rock so that sailors who were sailing off the eastern coast of Scotland could know that they are close to the Inchcape Rock hidden under the waves and prevent crashing into it.

Question 2
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

The Abbot of Aberbrothok
Had placed that bell on the Inchcape Rock;
On a buoy in the storm it floated and swung,
And over the waves its warning rung.

When the Rock was hid by the surge’s swell,
The Mariners heard the warning Bell;
And then they knew the perilous Rock,
And blest the Abbot of Aberbrothok

What warning did the bell give?

Answer:
When the sea surged, the bell on the buoy floated and rung and warned the sailors of the rock which was hidden below the waves.

Question 3
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

The Abbot of Aberbrothok
Had placed that bell on the Inchcape Rock;
On a buoy in the storm it floated and swung,
And over the waves its warning rung.

When the Rock was hid by the surge’s swell,
The Mariners heard the warning Bell;
And then they knew the perilous Rock,
And blest the Abbot of Aberbrothok

Who tied the bell to the rock?

Answer:
The Abbot of Aberbrothok, a good natured soul, had tied the Inchcape Bell to the rock.

Question 4
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

The Abbot of Aberbrothok
Had placed that bell on the Inchcape Rock;
On a buoy in the storm it floated and swung,
And over the waves its warning rung.

When the Rock was hid by the surge’s swell,
The Mariners heard the warning Bell;
And then they knew the perilous Rock,
And blest the Abbot of Aberbrothok

Name and explain the figure of speech in the lines:
And over the waves its warning rung.

Answer:
Inversion: The normal order of words has been reversed for emphasis.
The correct order is ‘Its warning rung over the waves.”

Question 5
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

The Abbot of Aberbrothok
Had placed that bell on the Inchcape Rock;
On a buoy in the storm it floated and swung,
And over the waves its warning rung.

When the Rock was hid by the surge’s swell,
The Mariners heard the warning Bell;
And then they knew the perilous Rock,
And blest the Abbot of Aberbrothok

Whom did the mariners bless? Why?

Answer:
The mariners blessed the Abbot as by tying the bell to the Inchcape Rock he had been instrumental in saving many sailing accidents.

Passage 3

Question 1
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

The Sun in the heaven was shining gay,
All things were joyful on that day;
The sea-birds scream’d as they wheel’d round,
And there was joyaunce in their sound.

The buoy of the Inchcape Bell was seen
A darker speck on the ocean green;
Sir Ralph the Rover walk’d his deck,
And fix’d his eye on the darker speck.

How did the buoy look from a distance?

Answer:
The buoy looked like a dark spot on the vast green ocean.

Question 2
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

The Sun in the heaven was shining gay,
All things were joyful on that day;
The sea-birds scream’d as they wheel’d round,
And there was joyaunce in their sound.

The buoy of the Inchcape Bell was seen
A darker speck on the ocean green;
Sir Ralph the Rover walk’d his deck,
And fix’d his eye on the darker speck.

Why did the birds sound happy that day?

Answer:
The birds sounded happy that day as the day was bright and sunny.

Question 3
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

The Sun in the heaven was shining gay,
All things were joyful on that day;
The sea-birds scream’d as they wheel’d round,
And there was joyaunce in their sound.

The buoy of the Inchcape Bell was seen
A darker speck on the ocean green;
Sir Ralph the Rover walk’d his deck,
And fix’d his eye on the darker speck.

Who was Sir Ralph?

Answer:
Sir Ralph the Rover was a pirate.

Question 4
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

The Sun in the heaven was shining gay,
All things were joyful on that day;
The sea-birds scream’d as they wheel’d round,
And there was joyaunce in their sound.

The buoy of the Inchcape Bell was seen
A darker speck on the ocean green;
Sir Ralph the Rover walk’d his deck,
And fix’d his eye on the darker speck.

What does the phrase ‘fixed his eye on the darker speck’ indicate?

Answer:
The phrase indicates that the pirate set his wicked eye on the Inchcape Bell and stared at it intently.

Question 5
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

The Sun in the heaven was shining gay,
All things were joyful on that day;
The sea-birds scream’d as they wheel’d round,
And there was joyaunce in their sound.

The buoy of the Inchcape Bell was seen
A darker speck on the ocean green;
Sir Ralph the Rover walk’d his deck,
And fix’d his eye on the darker speck.

List words from the given lines that reflect happiness.

Answer:
Gay, joyful, joyaunce

Passage 4

Question 1
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

He felt the cheering power of spring,
It made him whistle, it made him sing;
His heart was mirthful to excess,
But the Rover’s mirth was wickedness.

His eye was on the Inchcape Float;
Quoth he, “My men, put out the boat,
And row me to the Inchcape Rock,
And I’ll plague the Abbot of Aberbrothok.”

Who is the ‘he’ referred to in the first line?

Answer:
The ‘he’ referred to in the first line is Sir Ralph the Rover.

Question 2
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

He felt the cheering power of spring,
It made him whistle, it made him sing;
His heart was mirthful to excess,
But the Rover’s mirth was wickedness.

His eye was on the Inchcape Float;
Quoth he, “My men, put out the boat,
And row me to the Inchcape Rock,
And I’ll plague the Abbot of Aberbrothok.”

What kind of happiness was reflected on his face?

Answer:
The happiness on Sir Ralph’s face was rooted in wickedness.

Question 3
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

He felt the cheering power of spring,
It made him whistle, it made him sing;
His heart was mirthful to excess,
But the Rover’s mirth was wickedness.

His eye was on the Inchcape Float;
Quoth he, “My men, put out the boat,
And row me to the Inchcape Rock,
And I’ll plague the Abbot of Aberbrothok.”

In which direction did the Rover want his men to row?

Answer:
The Rover wants his men to row him to the Inchcape Rock.

Question 4
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

He felt the cheering power of spring,
It made him whistle, it made him sing;
His heart was mirthful to excess,
But the Rover’s mirth was wickedness.

His eye was on the Inchcape Float;
Quoth he, “My men, put out the boat,
And row me to the Inchcape Rock,
And I’ll plague the Abbot of Aberbrothok.”

Explain the line “I’ll plague the Abbot of Aberbrothok.”

Answer:
The above lines indicate that the Rover had come up with a wicked plan to wreck the good intended work of the Abbot of Aberbrothok.

Passage 5

Question 1
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

The boat is lower’d, the boatmen row,
And to the Inchcape Rock they go;
Sir Ralph bent over from the boat,
And he cut the bell from the Inchcape Float.

Down sank the Bell with a gurgling sound,
The bubbles rose and burst around;
Quoth Sir Ralph, “The next who comes to the Rock,
Won’t bless the Abbot of Aberbrothok.”

Where do the boatmen row the boat?

Answer:
The boatmen rowed the boat to the Inchcape Rock.

Question 2
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

The boat is lower’d, the boatmen row,
And to the Inchcape Rock they go;
Sir Ralph bent over from the boat,
And he cut the bell from the Inchcape Float.

Down sank the Bell with a gurgling sound,
The bubbles rose and burst around;
Quoth Sir Ralph, “The next who comes to the Rock,
Won’t bless the Abbot of Aberbrothok.”

What did Sir Ralph the Rover do?

Answer:
Sir Ralph the Rover bent over from his boat and cut the bell from the Inchcape Float.

Question 3
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

The boat is lower’d, the boatmen row,
And to the Inchcape Rock they go;
Sir Ralph bent over from the boat,
And he cut the bell from the Inchcape Float.

Down sank the Bell with a gurgling sound,
The bubbles rose and burst around;
Quoth Sir Ralph, “The next who comes to the Rock,
Won’t bless the Abbot of Aberbrothok.”

Why did the Rover cut the bell?

Answer:
The rover cut the bell because he wanted ships to crash against the rock so that he could then plunder their goods.

Question 4
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

The boat is lower’d, the boatmen row,
And to the Inchcape Rock they go;
Sir Ralph bent over from the boat,
And he cut the bell from the Inchcape Float.

Down sank the Bell with a gurgling sound,
The bubbles rose and burst around;
Quoth Sir Ralph, “The next who comes to the Rock,
Won’t bless the Abbot of Aberbrothok.”

Name and explain the figure of speech in:
a. Down sank the Bell with a gurgling sound,
b. The bubbles rose and burst around;

Answer:
Down sank the Bell with a gurgling sound
Onomatopoeia: The word ‘gurgling’ is used to hint the sound of the drowning bell.

The bubbles rose and burst around;
Alliteration: The sound ‘b’ has been repeated in the words ‘bubbles’ and ‘burst’.

Passage 6

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

Sir Ralph the Rover sail’d away,
He scour’d the seas for many a day;
And now grown rich with plunder’d store,
He steers his course for Scotland’s shore.

So thick a haze o’er spreads the sky,
They cannot see the sun on high;
The wind hath blown a gale all day,
At evening it hath died away.

Where did Sir Ralph the Rover sail? Why?

Answer:
Sir Ralph the Rover sailed into the sea as looking out for ships that crashed against the Inchcape Rock so that he could raid and plunder them.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

Sir Ralph the Rover sail’d away,
He scour’d the seas for many a day;
And now grown rich with plunder’d store,
He steers his course for Scotland’s shore.

So thick a haze o’er spreads the sky,
They cannot see the sun on high;
The wind hath blown a gale all day,
At evening it hath died away.

Why were his men unable to see anything when they steered towards Scotland?

Answer:
A thick haze had spread over the sky due to which his men couldn’t see anything when they steered towards Scotland.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

Sir Ralph the Rover sail’d away,
He scour’d the seas for many a day;
And now grown rich with plunder’d store,
He steers his course for Scotland’s shore.

So thick a haze o’er spreads the sky,
They cannot see the sun on high;
The wind hath blown a gale all day,
At evening it hath died away.

The word sail’d means ‘sailed’, but is written in a different way. Find other such words in the given lines and also state their modern spelling.

Answer:
scour’d: scoured
plunder’d: plundered
o’er: over

Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

Sir Ralph the Rover sail’d away,
He scour’d the seas for many a day;
And now grown rich with plunder’d store,
He steers his course for Scotland’s shore.

So thick a haze o’er spreads the sky,
They cannot see the sun on high;
The wind hath blown a gale all day,
At evening it hath died away.

Find words from the given lines that mean: steal, mist and guide

Answer:
steal: plunder
mist: haze
guide: steer

Passage 7

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

On the deck the Rover takes his stand,
So dark it is they see no land.
Quoth Sir Ralph, “It will be lighter soon,
For there is the dawn of the rising Moon.”

“Canst hear,” said one, “the breakers roar?
For methinks we should be near the shore.”
“Now, where we are I cannot tell,
But I wish we could hear the Inchcape Bell.”

They hear no sound, the swell is strong,
Though the wind hath fallen they drift along;
Till the vessel strikes with a shivering shock,
“Oh Christ! It is the Inchcape Rock!”

Why couldn’t the sailors tell where they were?

Answer:
There was a lot of haze and darkness engulfing the ocean due to which the sailors couldn’t see where they were.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

On the deck the Rover takes his stand,
So dark it is they see no land.
Quoth Sir Ralph, “It will be lighter soon,
For there is the dawn of the rising Moon.”

“Canst hear,” said one, “the breakers roar?
For methinks we should be near the shore.”
“Now, where we are I cannot tell,
But I wish we could hear the Inchcape Bell.”

They hear no sound, the swell is strong,
Though the wind hath fallen they drift along;
Till the vessel strikes with a shivering shock,
“Oh Christ! It is the Inchcape Rock!”

What fate does the ship meet at the end of the stanza?

Answer:
The ship crashes against the Inchcape rock at the end of the stanza.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

On the deck the Rover takes his stand,
So dark it is they see no land.
Quoth Sir Ralph, “It will be lighter soon,
For there is the dawn of the rising Moon.”

“Canst hear,” said one, “the breakers roar?
For methinks we should be near the shore.”
“Now, where we are I cannot tell,
But I wish we could hear the Inchcape Bell.”

They hear no sound, the swell is strong,
Though the wind hath fallen they drift along;
Till the vessel strikes with a shivering shock,
“Oh Christ! It is the Inchcape Rock!”

What conditions lead to the wreckage of the ship?

Answer:
Bad weather and the absence of the Inchcape bell caused the ship to crash against the rock.

Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

On the deck the Rover takes his stand,
So dark it is they see no land.
Quoth Sir Ralph, “It will be lighter soon,
For there is the dawn of the rising Moon.”

“Canst hear,” said one, “the breakers roar?
For methinks we should be near the shore.”
“Now, where we are I cannot tell,
But I wish we could hear the Inchcape Bell.”

They hear no sound, the swell is strong,
Though the wind hath fallen they drift along;
Till the vessel strikes with a shivering shock,
“Oh Christ! It is the Inchcape Rock!”

Why did the sailor wish he could hear the Inchcape Bell?

Answer:
In the absence of the bell, the sailors were clueless about where they were or if they were near the shore. Moreover, they had no way of avoiding crashing into the dreaded Inchcape Rock if they drew close to it. Hence, a sailor thought it would be good had the bell been there.

Passage 8

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

Sir Ralph the Rover tore his hair,
He curst himself in his despair;
The waves rush in on every side,
The ship is sinking beneath the tide.

But even in his dying fear,
One dreadful sound could the Rover hear;
A sound as if with the Inchcape Bell,
The Devil below was ringing his knell.

How did Ralph the Rover react to the ship hitting the rock?

Answer:
When the ship hit the Inchcape Rock, Ralph the Rover realised what a grave mistake he had made by cutting off the Inchcape Bell. His ship was now sinking as waters entered the vessel from all sides. In despair, agony, and frustration he tore at his hair and cursed himself for cutting off the bell.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

Sir Ralph the Rover tore his hair,
He curst himself in his despair;
The waves rush in on every side,
The ship is sinking beneath the tide.

But even in his dying fear,
One dreadful sound could the Rover hear;
A sound as if with the Inchcape Bell,
The Devil below was ringing his knell.

Whom did Sir Ralph the Rover hear ringing the bell as the ship sank?

Answer:
Sir Ralph the Rover believed he heard the Devil ringing the bell as though indicating that he himself had come to drag the rover to hell for his cruel deeds.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

Sir Ralph the Rover tore his hair,
He curst himself in his despair;
The waves rush in on every side,
The ship is sinking beneath the tide.

But even in his dying fear,
One dreadful sound could the Rover hear;
A sound as if with the Inchcape Bell,
The Devil below was ringing his knell.

Compare and contrast the character of Sir Ralph the Rover with that of the Abbot of Aberbrothok?

Answer:
The Abbot was a benevolent and an empathetic man while the pirate was a cruel and an inhuman pirate. On the one hand, the abbot placed a bell on the Inchcape Rock to warn sailors of the hidden rock. On the other hand, Sir Ralph the Rover cut the bell off because he did not want sailors to sail across the rock safely. The Abbot taught for the well being of others while Sir Ralph only thought about plundering and increasing his wealth. He was so reckless that he didn’t think twice before cutting off the bell. Ultimately, divine justice was served and he was punished for his recklessness.

ICSE Class 10 English Solutions Journey by Night

Passage 1

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Sher Singh himself was only twelve years old, brown and cheerful, a child of the jungle, and his brother was several years younger. There had been other children of course, but they were dead, carried off by cholera and influenza and such, and by jungle accidents. Now there was only this Sher Singh, and the little brother Kunwar.

‘I will wring out rags in boiling water and lay them on his stomach,’ said their mother. She did not smile. She did not weep. She had lived through everything over and over again.

‘What shall I do? Asked Sher Singh, who was feeling ill inside him because of his brother. ‘I will get the sticks for the fire. And the dung. I will get the water. Let me tear up the rag’.

Why did the mother not smile or weep?
Answer:
Mother was worried about Kunwar’s failing health and thought that she’d lose him too like her other children. She was tired and alone and had lived through the deaths of many of her children before hence, she neither smiled nor wept.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Sher Singh himself was only twelve years old, brown and cheerful, a child of the jungle, and his brother was several years younger. There had been other children of course, but they were dead, carried off by cholera and influenza and such, and by jungle accidents. Now there was only this Sher Singh, and the little brother Kunwar.

‘I will wring out rags in boiling water and lay them on his stomach,’ said their mother. She did not smile. She did not weep. She had lived through everything over and over again.

‘What shall I do? Asked Sher Singh, who was feeling ill inside him because of his brother. ‘I will get the sticks for the fire. And the dung. I will get the water. Let me tear up the rag’.

What happened to the other children?

Answer:
Sher Singh and Kunwar had many siblings but unfortunately they had died due to serious illnesses such as cholera and influenza and by jungle accidents.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Sher Singh himself was only twelve years old, brown and cheerful, a child of the jungle, and his brother was several years younger. There had been other children of course, but they were dead, carried off by cholera and influenza and such, and by jungle accidents. Now there was only this Sher Singh, and the little brother Kunwar.

‘I will wring out rags in boiling water and lay them on his stomach,’ said their mother. She did not smile. She did not weep. She had lived through everything over and over again.

‘What shall I do? Asked Sher Singh, who was feeling ill inside him because of his brother. ‘I will get the sticks for the fire. And the dung. I will get the water. Let me tear up the rag’.

What was wrong with Kunwar?

Answer:
Sher Singh’s younger brother Kunwar was seriously ill. It was not clear what was wrong with him, but the child was constantly crying due to the pain in his stomach and fever.

Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Sher Singh himself was only twelve years old, brown and cheerful, a child of the jungle, and his brother was several years younger. There had been other children of course, but they were dead, carried off by cholera and influenza and such, and by jungle accidents. Now there was only this Sher Singh, and the little brother Kunwar.

‘I will wring out rags in boiling water and lay them on his stomach,’ said their mother. She did not smile. She did not weep. She had lived through everything over and over again.

‘What shall I do? Asked Sher Singh, who was feeling ill inside him because of his brother. ‘I will get the sticks for the fire. And the dung. I will get the water. Let me tear up the rag’.

What does the sentence ‘She had lived through everything over and over again.’ mean?

Answer:
Sher Singh’s mother had other children apart from Kunwar and Sher Singh. However, they had all died due to illnesses such as influenza and cholera or forest mishaps.

Question 5.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Sher Singh himself was only twelve years old, brown and cheerful, a child of the jungle, and his brother was several years younger. There had been other children of course, but they were dead, carried off by cholera and influenza and such, and by jungle accidents. Now there was only this Sher Singh, and the little brother Kunwar.

‘I will wring out rags in boiling water and lay them on his stomach,’ said their mother. She did not smile. She did not weep. She had lived through everything over and over again.

‘What shall I do? Asked Sher Singh, who was feeling ill inside him because of his brother. ‘I will get the sticks for the fire. And the dung. I will get the water. Let me tear up the rag’.

What does the phrase ‘carried off by’ mean?

Answer:
The phrase ‘carried off’ in the given context means ’caused the death of someone’.

Passage 2

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

They used fuel recklessly to get the water hot soon. They laid steaming cloths on the child’s little belly. But after a bit Sher Singh’s mother said,’ He must be carried into hospital at Kalaghat.’

Then Sher Singh knew that his brother was dying. When she said the word ‘Hospital’ He knew it, For all jungle people are well aware that hospital is but the resort of the doomed. Something took him by her throat.

‘I will run for my father,’ he cried.

‘It may be days before you find him.’

Why was fuel being burned recklessly?

Answer:
Mother thought that if she wrung out rags in boiling water and laid them on Kunwar’s stomach, he would feel better. They used fuel recklessly so as to boil the water sooner.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

They used fuel recklessly to get the water hot soon. They laid steaming cloths on the child’s little belly. But after a bit Sher Singh’s mother said,’ He must be carried into hospital at Kalaghat.’

Then Sher Singh knew that his brother was dying. When she said the word ‘Hospital’ He knew it, For all jungle people are well aware that hospital is but the resort of the doomed. Something took him by her throat.

‘I will run for my father,’ he cried.

‘It may be days before you find him.’

What does the line ‘something took him by the throat’ mean?

Answer:
Mother said that Kunwar had to be taken to the hospital. Sher Singh knew that people from the village went to the hospital only to never return. In addition, the absence of his father, scared Sher Singh all the more and he felt choked under emotional stress which is expressed in the words ‘something took him by the throat’.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

They used fuel recklessly to get the water hot soon. They laid steaming cloths on the child’s little belly. But after a bit Sher Singh’s mother said,’ He must be carried into hospital at Kalaghat.’

Then Sher Singh knew that his brother was dying. When she said the word ‘Hospital’ He knew it, For all jungle people are well aware that hospital is but the resort of the doomed. Something took him by her throat.

‘I will run for my father,’ he cried.

‘It may be days before you find him.’

Would it be possible for Sher Singh to find his father so that he could take Kunwar to the hospital?

Answer:
Sher Singh’s father was out on a hunting expedition and it would not be possible for him to find his father in time to take his little brother to the hospital.

Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

They used fuel recklessly to get the water hot soon. They laid steaming cloths on the child’s little belly. But after a bit Sher Singh’s mother said,’ He must be carried into hospital at Kalaghat.’

Then Sher Singh knew that his brother was dying. When she said the word ‘Hospital’ He knew it, For all jungle people are well aware that hospital is but the resort of the doomed. Something took him by her throat.

‘I will run for my father,’ he cried.

‘It may be days before you find him.’

How did Sher Singh help his mother in making Kunwar feel better?

Answer:
Sher Singh ran around to collect the sticks and dung to set up the fire and the water to boil the rags in. He also tore up the rag so that Mother could wring out the rags in and lay them on Kunwar’s stomach.

Passage 3

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Kalaghat was at least fifty miles away, but Sher Singh hoped that if he could get through the jungle and cross the two rivers that lay between him and his goal, he might get a lift in a bullock cart or perhaps even a broken – down truck for the last part of his journey. Motors were now beginning to appear even on jungle roads where for immemorial centuries there had been nothing but ox and pony.

But not yet.

Here, where the path was rutted with cart wheels, and his bare toes disappeared into silk-soft dust, he was alone on the track that wound into forest, into night.

What all would Sher Singh have to cross before reaching the hospital in Kalaghat?

Answer:
Sher Singh would have to get through the jungle and cross two rivers to reach the hospital in Kalaghat.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Kalaghat was at least fifty miles away, but Sher Singh hoped that if he could get through the jungle and cross the two rivers that lay between him and his goal, he might get a lift in a bullock cart or perhaps even a broken – down truck for the last part of his journey. Motors were now beginning to appear even on jungle roads where for immemorial centuries there had been nothing but ox and pony.

But not yet.

Here, where the path was rutted with cart wheels, and his bare toes disappeared into silk-soft dust, he was alone on the track that wound into forest, into night.

Why did Sher Singh have to go alone with Kunwar?

Answer:
Sher Singh’s father was not at home and it would be days before he returned from his hunting expedition. Therefore, Sher Singh had to take his sick brother Kunwar alone to the hospital.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Kalaghat was at least fifty miles away, but Sher Singh hoped that if he could get through the jungle and cross the two rivers that lay between him and his goal, he might get a lift in a bullock cart or perhaps even a broken – down truck for the last part of his journey. Motors were now beginning to appear even on jungle roads where for immemorial centuries there had been nothing but ox and pony.

But not yet.

Here, where the path was rutted with cart wheels, and his bare toes disappeared into silk-soft dust, he was alone on the track that wound into forest, into night.

What mode of transport was Sher Singh hoping to get a lift in to reach the hospital?

Answer:
Sher Singh was hoping to get a lift in a bullock cart or perhaps even a broken-down truck for the last part of his journey to the hospital in Kalaghat.

Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Kalaghat was at least fifty miles away, but Sher Singh hoped that if he could get through the jungle and cross the two rivers that lay between him and his goal, he might get a lift in a bullock cart or perhaps even a broken – down truck for the last part of his journey. Motors were now beginning to appear even on jungle roads where for immemorial centuries there had been nothing but ox and pony.

But not yet.

Here, where the path was rutted with cart wheels, and his bare toes disappeared into silk-soft dust, he was alone on the track that wound into forest, into night.

What can be said about Sher Singh’s determination to get his brother to the hospital?

Answer:
Sher Singh was not big enough to carry Kunwar on his back. However, this did not deter him from setting off from his village to Kalaghat nonetheless. He had mentally the ways he would take to get to the road that could get him a lift till the hospital. This shows that he was strongly determined to save his brother’s life.

Passage 4

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Kunwar, was twitching and groaning on his back, was already getting heavier. Oh, for a rest to let aching muscles draw up from the painful stretching and strain. But it was too soon to rest yet, and presently he got his second wind.

Around him lay primeval forest in which the struggle of vegetation and the struggle of life continued as they had done since the beginning of the world. Luxuriant bamboo sprang fast from its nodules; impenetrable thorn thickets fought for air; trees and undergrowth and scrub and grass, And in his jungle lived the animals of the forest, the monkeys and raucous peacocks, tiger and panther and bear and elephant. Since the deer were now so poached and decimated, the beasts of prey were obliged to kill domestic animals for food. Sometimes even man.

Why did Sher Singh feel that Kunwar was getting heavier?

Answer:
Sher Singh was only twelve years old, too young to carry another boy on his back. He was finding it difficult to carry Kunwar, who was burning with fever. His muscles got tired after carrying his brother and hence, he felt that the boy was getting heavier.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Kunwar, was twitching and groaning on his back, was already getting heavier. Oh, for a rest to let aching muscles draw up from the painful stretching and strain. But it was too soon to rest yet, and presently he got his second wind.

Around him lay primeval forest in which the struggle of vegetation and the struggle of life continued as they had done since the beginning of the world. Luxuriant bamboo sprang fast from its nodules; impenetrable thorn thickets fought for air; trees and undergrowth and scrub and grass, And in his jungle lived the animals of the forest, the monkeys and raucous peacocks, tiger and panther and bear and elephant. Since the deer were now so poached and decimated, the beasts of prey were obliged to kill domestic animals for food. Sometimes even man.

Why has the author called the jungle primeval?

Answer:
The jungle was dense and full of flora and fauna. It had been there since the beginning of the world. This is the reason why the author calls the forest primeval or ‘ancient’.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Kunwar, was twitching and groaning on his back, was already getting heavier. Oh, for a rest to let aching muscles draw up from the painful stretching and strain. But it was too soon to rest yet, and presently he got his second wind.

Around him lay primeval forest in which the struggle of vegetation and the struggle of life continued as they had done since the beginning of the world. Luxuriant bamboo sprang fast from its nodules; impenetrable thorn thickets fought for air; trees and undergrowth and scrub and grass, And in his jungle lived the animals of the forest, the monkeys and raucous peacocks, tiger and panther and bear and elephant. Since the deer were now so poached and decimated, the beasts of prey were obliged to kill domestic animals for food. Sometimes even man.

Describe the jungle as mentioned in the passage.

Answer:
The jungle was luxuriant with bamboo and thorn thickets. There was undergrowth and grass all around. There animals such as monkeys, raucous peacocks, tigers, panthers, bears and elephants too. The beasts of prey would not only kill domestic animals but also humans for food as the most of the deer in the forest were poached.

Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Kunwar, was twitching and groaning on his back, was already getting heavier. Oh, for a rest to let aching muscles draw up from the painful stretching and strain. But it was too soon to rest yet, and presently he got his second wind.

Around him lay primeval forest in which the struggle of vegetation and the struggle of life continued as they had done since the beginning of the world. Luxuriant bamboo sprang fast from its nodules; impenetrable thorn thickets fought for air; trees and undergrowth and scrub and grass, And in his jungle lived the animals of the forest, the monkeys and raucous peacocks, tiger and panther and bear and elephant. Since the deer were now so poached and decimated, the beasts of prey were obliged to kill domestic animals for food. Sometimes even man.

Describe Kunwar’s discomfort.

Answer:
Kunwar was so ill that he was disoriented. He kept twitching and groaning on Sher Singh’s back. He had high fever and a severe pain in his stomach. It was not clear what was wrong with him, but his mother thought that he must have contracted cholera or influenza, diseases that had taken away lives of other villagers in the past.

Passage 5

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Their ears flapped, their tails swung, their shadows were brilliant on the white sand, much brighter than any shadow by day. They were so near he could smell elephant, hear the squeak of sand crushed under their feet, and the brush of rough hide, one against the other. He could see the toss and hustle of great heads and black backbones.

The tusker was playing his trunk to find fro to learn whatever the breeze could tell him; and suddenly he hesitated. The trunk came round towards the boys.

Sher Singh chilled with fright. With Kunwar to carry, he could neither climb nor run. If he shouted, it could not but bring the catastrophe upon them.

Prayer after prayer fled up like birds from is frightened spirit.

Where was Sher Singh and what was he doing when he heard the elephants approaching?

Answer:
Sher Singh had reached a cliff which was above a river-bed when he realised that he could not go any further without some rest. He slowly laid down his brother, supporting him against a tree when he heard the elephants approaching.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Their ears flapped, their tails swung, their shadows were brilliant on the white sand, much brighter than any shadow by day. They were so near he could smell elephant, hear the squeak of sand crushed under their feet, and the brush of rough hide, one against the other. He could see the toss and hustle of great heads and black backbones.

The tusker was playing his trunk to find fro to learn whatever the breeze could tell him; and suddenly he hesitated. The trunk came round towards the boys.

Sher Singh chilled with fright. With Kunwar to carry, he could neither climb nor run. If he shouted, it could not but bring the catastrophe upon them.

Prayer after prayer fled up like birds from is frightened spirit.

Described the elephants mentioned in the passage as seen by Sher Singh?

Answer:
Sher Singh while on his way to the hospital Sher Singh came across a herd of elephants moving along a water body in the jungle. He saw their ears flapping, and their tails swinging as they moved. He also heard the crushing of sand under their feet and the brushing of their rough hide against each other.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Their ears flapped, their tails swung, their shadows were brilliant on the white sand, much brighter than any shadow by day. They were so near he could smell elephant, hear the squeak of sand crushed under their feet, and the brush of rough hide, one against the other. He could see the toss and hustle of great heads and black backbones.

The tusker was playing his trunk to find fro to learn whatever the breeze could tell him; and suddenly he hesitated. The trunk came round towards the boys.

Sher Singh chilled with fright. With Kunwar to carry, he could neither climb nor run. If he shouted, it could not but bring the catastrophe upon them.

Prayer after prayer fled up like birds from is frightened spirit.

Why was Sher Singh frightened?

Answer:
Sher Singh saw a herd of elephants walking past the river bed below the cliff he was sitting on with Kunwar. Among the cows and the babies, there was a tusker whose cheeks were smeared with dark, oily musth. In that condition, if the elephant spotted him and Kunwar, they both could have been killed by him. This thought frightened Sher Singh.

Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Their ears flapped, their tails swung, their shadows were brilliant on the white sand, much brighter than any shadow by day. They were so near he could smell elephant, hear the squeak of sand crushed under their feet, and the brush of rough hide, one against the other. He could see the toss and hustle of great heads and black backbones.

The tusker was playing his trunk to find fro to learn whatever the breeze could tell him; and suddenly he hesitated. The trunk came round towards the boys.

Sher Singh chilled with fright. With Kunwar to carry, he could neither climb nor run. If he shouted, it could not but bring the catastrophe upon them.

Prayer after prayer fled up like birds from is frightened spirit.

What does the expression ‘prayer after prayer fled up’ mean?

Answer:
Sher Singh knew the danger which the herd of elephants posed to him and his little brother. With Kunwar on his back, he could neither run nor climb if the tusker in the herd attacked them. Therefore, with cold fear in his heart, Sher Singh prayed fervently for some aid. The author uses the expression ‘prayers after prayers fled up’ to stress on his nervousness.

Passage 6

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Far away, in another world, there came the yap of pi-dogs heralding village.
Suddenly, somehow…….. people.
After that, the next he knew they were in a bullock cart, then a truck.
‘Where have you come from, boy?’
“Laldwani.’
‘You carried him alone? Across the river in flood?
They were at the hospital.

What was Sher Singh’s condition by the time he reached the road?

Answer:
Sher Singh was exhausted by the time he reached the road. The gushing river seemed to have sucked up all his strength. He neither knew what happened nor was in the condition to wring his dhoti dry. He stumbled as he walked, and his knees bent and trembled under the weight of his brother

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Far away, in another world, there came the yap of pi-dogs heralding village.
Suddenly, somehow…….. people.
After that, the next he knew they were in a bullock cart, then a truck.
‘Where have you come from, boy?’
“Laldwani.’
‘You carried him alone? Across the river in flood?
They were at the hospital.

Why did the doctor call out Sher Singh ‘Bahadur’?

Answer:
Sher Singh Sher Singh travelled the entire way from Laldwani to the hospital in Kalaghat all alone on foot by night carrying his ailing little brother on his back. On his way he braved the dense forests and gushing ice-cold waters of the stormy river. When the doctor realised all that this twelve-year-old boy had gone through for his brother’s life, he added the title ‘Bahadur’ to his name.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Far away, in another world, there came the yap of pi-dogs heralding village.
Suddenly, somehow…….. people.
After that, the next he knew they were in a bullock cart, then a truck.
‘Where have you come from, boy?’
“Laldwani.’
‘You carried him alone? Across the river in flood?
They were at the hospital.

How did the boys finally reach the hospital?

Answer:
After carrying Kunwar on his back through the primeval forest and struggling through the cold river, Sher Singh reached a road from where he got a lift in a bullock cart and then a truck which finally took him to hospital at Kalaghat.

Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Far away, in another world, there came the yap of pi-dogs heralding village.
Suddenly, somehow…….. people.
After that, the next he knew they were in a bullock cart, then a truck.
‘Where have you come from, boy?’
“Laldwani.’
‘You carried him alone? Across the river in flood?
They were at the hospital.

What did Sher Singh eat while his brother was being treated in the hospital?

Answer:
Sher Singh had no money when he reached the hospital so he worked at the rail yard loading coal. He used the money that he got for his work to buy some coarse flour, mustard oil, and chillies. This he then used to prepare his own meal.

ICSE Class 10 English Solutions In the Bazaars of Hyderabad [Poem]

Passage 1

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

What do you sell, O ye merchants?
Richly your wares are displayed.
Turbans of crimson and silver,
Tunics of purple brocade,
Mirrors with panels of amber,
Daggers with handles of jade.

What is displayed by the merchants? Where?

Answer:
The merchants have grandly displayed their wares in the bazaars of Hyderabad. There are turbans in crimson and silver and purple brocade tunics for sale. The merchants also have mirrors with amber panels and jade-handled daggers for sale.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

What do you sell, O ye merchants?
Richly your wares are displayed.
Turbans of crimson and silver,
Tunics of purple brocade,
Mirrors with panels of amber,
Daggers with handles of jade.

Explain the lines:
Mirrors with panels of amber
Daggers with handles of jade

Answer:
The lines ‘mirrors with panels of amber’ refer to the antique looking mirrors having amber edges.

The line ‘daggers with handles of jade’ refers to daggers that have handles studded with the green coloured precious stone called jade.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

What do you sell, O ye merchants?
Richly your wares are displayed.
Turbans of crimson and silver,
Tunics of purple brocade,
Mirrors with panels of amber,
Daggers with handles of jade.

Describe the given extract in your own words.

Answer:
This is the first stanza of the poem. It describes the richness of India. The poet opens the poem with a luxurious and an opulent vision of merchants displaying turbans of silver and crimson, colours that are synonymous with royalty and elegance. Next, we read about purple coloured tunics, a colour which again represents royalty. The merchants also have mirrors with amber panels and daggers with jaded handles.

Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

What do you sell, O ye merchants?
Richly your wares are displayed.
Turbans of crimson and silver,
Tunics of purple brocade,
Mirrors with panels of amber,
Daggers with handles of jade.

State the rhyme scheme of the given lines.

Answer:
The rhyme scheme of the given lines is a-b-c-b-c-b.

Passage 2

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

What do you weigh, O ye vendors?
Saffron and lentil and rice.
What do you grind, O ye maidens?
Sandalwood, henna and spice.
What do you call, O ye pedlars?
Chessmen and ivory dice.

What are the vendors selling?

Answer:
The vendors are selling commodities of daily use such as saffron, lentil and rice.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

What do you weigh, O ye vendors?
Saffron and lentil and rice.
What do you grind, O ye maidens?
Sandalwood, henna and spice.
What do you call, O ye pedlars?
Chessmen and ivory dice.

What is in store from maidens and pedlars?

Answer:
The maidens have brought to the market sandalwood, henna, and spices that they themselves have ground. The pedlars have chessman and ivory dice on sale.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

What do you weigh, O ye vendors?
Saffron and lentil and rice.
What do you grind, O ye maidens?
Sandalwood, henna and spice.
What do you call, O ye pedlars?
Chessmen and ivory dice.

Who are the chessmen? What are they made of? What does it signify?

Answer:
The solid figures used to play chess are the chessmen. The pedlars have displayed chessmen and dice made of ivory. This indicates the Indian fascination for games and the use of precious materials to make the game pieces.

Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

What do you weigh, O ye vendors?
Saffron and lentil and rice.
What do you grind, O ye maidens?
Sandalwood, henna and spice.
What do you call, O ye pedlars?
Chessmen and ivory dice.

Name and explain the figure of speech in the second line of the given extract.

Answer:
The figure of speech in the second line ‘saffron and lentil and rice’ is climax as the things ‘saffron, lentil and rice’ have been mentioned in the increasing order of usage.

Passage 3

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

What do you make, O ye goldsmiths?
Wristlet and anklet and ring,
Bells for the feet of blue pigeons,
Frail as a dragon-fly’s wing,
Girdles of gold for the dancers,
Scabbards of gold for the king.

What do the goldsmiths make?

Answer:
The goldsmiths are people who make expensive and intricately designed ornaments. They have on sale wristlets, anklets and rings that will adore delicate hands and feet. They have girdles and scabbards for the dancers and kings. In addition, the goldsmiths have also designed delicate bells for the feet of blue pigeons.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

What do you make, O ye goldsmiths?
Wristlet and anklet and ring,
Bells for the feet of blue pigeons,
Frail as a dragon-fly’s wing,
Girdles of gold for the dancers,
Scabbards of gold for the king.

What do scabbards and girdles of gold refer to?

Answer:
The dancers can buy straps of gold to tie around their waist for their various performances. These straps are nothing but girdles that are being sold in the bazaars of Hyderabad. In addition, the goldsmiths have gold scabbards to cover the swords of the kings. The mention of the two together reflects the wide range of articles which the goldsmiths have made thus highlighting their skillfulness.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

What do you make, O ye goldsmiths?
Wristlet and anklet and ring,
Bells for the feet of blue pigeons,
Frail as a dragon-fly’s wing,
Girdles of gold for the dancers,
Scabbards of gold for the king.

What is special about the pigeon bells?

Answer:
The pigeon bells that are made by the goldsmiths are as delicate as a dragon fly’s wings. The skilful hands of the goldsmiths have made the bells so light that the feet of the pigeon wearing them will not be discomforted.

Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

What do you make, O ye goldsmiths?
Wristlet and anklet and ring,
Bells for the feet of blue pigeons,
Frail as a dragon-fly’s wing,
Girdles of gold for the dancers,
Scabbards of gold for the king.

Name and explain the figure of speech in the given extract.

Answer:
The extract uses simile in the line ‘Frail as a dragon-fly’s wing’ to compare the bells to the delicate wings of a dragon fly. A simile is a figure of speech in which a direct comparison is made between two different objects using ‘like’ or ‘as’. This figure of speech is use to share the qualities of one object with the other.

Passage 4

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

What do you cry, O ye fruitmen?
Citron, pomegranate and plum.
What do you play, O musicians?
Cithar, sarangi and drum.
What do you chant, O magicians?
Spells for the aeons to come.

What does the word ‘cry’ mean in the given extract?

Answer:
The word ‘cry’ refers to the sharp calls given out by sellers to attract buyers.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

What do you cry, O ye fruitmen?
Citron, pomegranate and plum.
What do you play, O musicians?
Cithar, sarangi and drum.
What do you chant, O magicians?
Spells for the aeons to come.

Name and explain the figure of speech in the second line of the extract.

Answer:
The figure of speech in the line ‘Citron, pomegranate and plum’ is alliteration as the sound of ‘p’ has been repeated in the words ‘pomegranate’ and ‘plum’.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

What do you cry, O ye fruitmen?
Citron, pomegranate and plum.
What do you play, O musicians?
Cithar, sarangi and drum.
What do you chant, O magicians?
Spells for the aeons to come.

What are the magicians doing? What does the word ‘aeon’ mean?

Answer:
The magicians in the bazaars are attracting the attention of the crowd by chanting spells so that people are easily drawn to the bazaar. The word ‘aeon’ in the context above means a very long period of time, the end of which is not known.

Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

What do you cry, O ye fruitmen?
Citron, pomegranate and plum.
What do you play, O musicians?
Cithar, sarangi and drum.
What do you chant, O magicians?
Spells for the aeons to come.

What is on display for the buyers in the given stanza?

Answer:
In this stanza, the poet writes about fruits like citrons, pomegranates and plums that are being sold by the fruit sellers. Further, she also mentions the musicians who have their cithar, sarangi and drum on display.

Passage 5

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

What do you weave, O ye flower-girls?
With tassels of azure and red?
Crowns for the brow of a bridegroom,
Chaplets to garland his bed,
Sheets of white blossoms new-gathered
To perfume the sleep of the dead.

What are the flower-girls doing in the bazaar?

Answer:
The flower-girls have come to the bazaar to sell flowers. They are making different decorative ornaments out of flowers for different occasions and inviting people to buy them.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

What do you weave, O ye flower-girls?
With tassels of azure and red?
Crowns for the brow of a bridegroom,
Chaplets to garland his bed,
Sheets of white blossoms new-gathered
To perfume the sleep of the dead.

How has the poet used flowers to describe various occasions in this stanza?

Answer:
This is the last stanza of the poem. In this stanza, the poet describes how flowers are used to make tassels, crowns and chaplets for the bridegroom and the bride to wish them a happy married life. In addition, she also describes how fresh white flowers are collected for people who wish to pay their last tribute to their loved ones who are no more.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

What do you weave, O ye flower-girls?
With tassels of azure and red?
Crowns for the brow of a bridegroom,
Chaplets to garland his bed,
Sheets of white blossoms new-gathered
To perfume the sleep of the dead.

Identify and explain the figure of speech used in the last line of the poem.

Answer:
The poet uses euphemism in the last line of the poem. The phrase ‘the sleep of dead’ indirectly refers to a sleep from which one would never awake; that is, it refers to the condition of being dead.

Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

What do you weave, O ye flower-girls?
With tassels of azure and red?
Crowns for the brow of a bridegroom,
Chaplets to garland his bed,
Sheets of white blossoms new-gathered
To perfume the sleep of the dead.

Find a word from the stanza that means ‘garlands’.

Answer:
Garland: chaplet

ICSE Class 10 English Solutions Hunger

Passage 1

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

The market was really crowded. The shops were full of items waiting to be sold. Though things were expensive, people were buying them anyway. There was unemployment, but people were eating and drinking. With thoughts such as these crossing his mind, Rizwan stood at a shop selling cold drinks, looking for someone who worked for a living but was not a shop owner. At the instant his eyes fell on man carrying a load on his head and walking in his direction. Rizwan quickly went up to him and, without any greeting placing a hand on his shoulder, enquired, “Your name?”

“Kasim,” caught unawares, the middle – aged man stopped.

What was the scene at the market?

Answer:
The market was crowded with people and shops. The shops were full of items waiting to be sold. Although things were expensive, people were buying them anyway. They were buying, eating, drinking.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

The market was really crowded. The shops were full of items waiting to be sold. Though things were expensive, people were buying them anyway. There was unemployment, but people were eating and drinking. With thoughts such as these crossing his mind, Rizwan stood at a shop selling cold drinks, looking for someone who worked for a living but was not a shop owner. At the instant his eyes fell on man carrying a load on his head and walking in his direction. Rizwan quickly went up to him and, without any greeting placing a hand on his shoulder, enquired, “Your name?”

“Kasim,” caught unawares, the middle – aged man stopped.

What was Rizwan look for? Who was he?

Answer:
Rizwan was looking for someone who worked for a living but was not a shop owner. Rizwan was a journalist.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

The market was really crowded. The shops were full of items waiting to be sold. Though things were expensive, people were buying them anyway. There was unemployment, but people were eating and drinking. With thoughts such as these crossing his mind, Rizwan stood at a shop selling cold drinks, looking for someone who worked for a living but was not a shop owner. At the instant his eyes fell on man carrying a load on his head and walking in his direction. Rizwan quickly went up to him and, without any greeting placing a hand on his shoulder, enquired, “Your name?”

“Kasim,” caught unawares, the middle – aged man stopped.

Who did Rizwan catch hold of in the market?

Answer:
Rizwan caught hold of a middle-aged man walking in his direction carrying a load on his head.

Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

The market was really crowded. The shops were full of items waiting to be sold. Though things were expensive, people were buying them anyway. There was unemployment, but people were eating and drinking. With thoughts such as these crossing his mind, Rizwan stood at a shop selling cold drinks, looking for someone who worked for a living but was not a shop owner. At the instant his eyes fell on man carrying a load on his head and walking in his direction. Rizwan quickly went up to him and, without any greeting placing a hand on his shoulder, enquired, “Your name?”

“Kasim,” caught unawares, the middle – aged man stopped.

Who was Kasim?

Answer:
Kasim was a rag seller by profession. From his appearance, he didn’t look like a shop owner, and was thus a perfect candidate for Rizwan’s interview.

Question 5.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

The market was really crowded. The shops were full of items waiting to be sold. Though things were expensive, people were buying them anyway. There was unemployment, but people were eating and drinking. With thoughts such as these crossing his mind, Rizwan stood at a shop selling cold drinks, looking for someone who worked for a living but was not a shop owner. At the instant his eyes fell on man carrying a load on his head and walking in his direction. Rizwan quickly went up to him and, without any greeting placing a hand on his shoulder, enquired, “Your name?”

“Kasim,” caught unawares, the middle – aged man stopped.

“There was unemployment but people were eating and drinking.” What picture does this line paint of the society?

Answer:
The story is set in 1979 when the Shah of Iran was defeated by the Khomeini government. Although the Khomeini government had promised several good things to the people of Iran, there were innumerable people still unemployed after the new government came to power. The rich grew richer while the poor became poorer.

Passage 2

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“Do you know the government is helping poor farmers?”
“No, but who are you? A tout or ….?”
“Journalist. Chacha, are you afraid of me?”
“No, but one never knows in this place.”
“Would you like to do farming?”
“No.”
“But why?”
“This is my profession.”
“Ask your father?”
“He’s too old.”
“Ask your brother, we will arrange for the land.”
“I don’t have a brother.”
“What does your father do?”
“Starve.”

What was Kasim’s reaction to Rizwan’s interrogation?

Answer:
Kasim was skeptical about Rizwan. He was not very comfortable when Rizwan was asking him questions. He thought that Rizwan was a tout.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“Do you know the government is helping poor farmers?”
“No, but who are you? A tout or ….?”
“Journalist. Chacha, are you afraid of me?”
“No, but one never knows in this place.”
“Would you like to do farming?”
“No.”
“But why?”
“This is my profession.”
“Ask your father?”
“He’s too old.”
“Ask your brother, we will arrange for the land.”
“I don’t have a brother.”
“What does your father do?”
“Starve.”

Why was Kasim not ready to farm?

Answer:
Kasim didn’t want to farm because he did not have a land of his own and he was already in the profession of selling old clothes. By selling old clothes, he thought was earning enough to manage a life.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“Do you know the government is helping poor farmers?”
“No, but who are you? A tout or ….?”
“Journalist. Chacha, are you afraid of me?”
“No, but one never knows in this place.”
“Would you like to do farming?”
“No.”
“But why?”
“This is my profession.”
“Ask your father?”
“He’s too old.”
“Ask your brother, we will arrange for the land.”
“I don’t have a brother.”
“What does your father do?”
“Starve.”

What impression of Rizwan do you form after reading the extract? What is the reality about him?

Answer:
After reading the extract, one feels that Rizwan is a successful journalist who is interrogating poor people like Kasim to expose their condition and bring about a social change. However, Rizwan is as desperate as Kasim in trying to earn a decent livelihood. The new government has filled the lives of poor people with uncertainty and this is very clear from Rizwan’s and Kasim’s condition.

Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“Do you know the government is helping poor farmers?”
“No, but who are you? A tout or ….?”
“Journalist. Chacha, are you afraid of me?”
“No, but one never knows in this place.”
“Would you like to do farming?”
“No.”
“But why?”
“This is my profession.”
“Ask your father?”
“He’s too old.”
“Ask your brother, we will arrange for the land.”
“I don’t have a brother.”
“What does your father do?”
“Starve.”

What is the importance of the last two lines of the extract?

Answer:
The last two lines of the extract describe how pathetic the situation was in Iran during that time. People were suffering during the reign of the Shah and even after the Khomeini government took over, nothing changed. The rich continued to live a lavish life while the poor ones like Kasim and his family continued to suffer. Kasim’s father lived a life full of want and starvation. Their life was filled with poverty and longing.

Passage 3

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“Did you or he know that we have a store – house of petrol – we call it black gold.”
“No.”
“Who was the shah?”
“I don’t know.”
“Was the common man happy in his reign?”
“How would I know anything about this shah?”
“Was your father happy?”
“No.”
“Yes, he used to talk of his father and how he died of hunger or cold.”
“Anything else?”
His father had told my father that his father used to work in somebody’s house. Died of high fever.”
“What did he do?”
“Physical labour”.

Whom does Rizwan refer to as the Shah?

Answer:
Rizwan refers to the former Shah of Iran who ruled the country before the Khomeini government came into power.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“Did you or he knew that we have a store – house of petrol – we call it black gold.”
“No.”
“Who was the shah?”
“I don’t know.”
“Was the common man happy in his reign?”
“How would I know anything about this shah?”
“Was your father happy?”
“No.”
“Yes, he used to talk of his father and how he died of hunger or cold.”
“Anything else?”
His father had told my father that his father used to work in somebody’s house. Died of high fever.”
“What did he do?”
“Physical labour”.

Kasim said that he didn’t know who the Shah was. What does this indicate about him?

Answer:
Being the citizen of a country, it is very natural that one ought to know who rules the nation. However, Kasim denied to have known the Shah or the new ruler. This indicates either that he was oblivious of the government and its battles, or that he was intentionally avoiding as he didn’t trust Rizwan.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“Did you or he knew that we have a store – house of petrol – we call it black gold.”
“No.”
“Who was the shah?”
“I don’t know.”
“Was the common man happy in his reign?”
“How would I know anything about this shah?”
“Was your father happy?”
“No.”
“Yes, he used to talk of his father and how he died of hunger or cold.”
“Anything else?”
His father had told my father that his father used to work in somebody’s house. Died of high fever.”
“What did he do?”
“Physical labour”.

What kind of a life did Kasim’s father and the father’s father lead?

Answer:
Both Kasim’s father and his grandfather led a difficult life. They were physical labourers and lived in pathetic conditions. Kasim’s great grandfather died of deprivation either of hunger or cold. In addition, Kasim’s grandfather, according to his father, used to work in somebody’s house where he died of high fever. Thus, Kasim and his older generations had always lived a miserable life full of starvation and ill health.

Question 4.
ead the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“Did you or he knew that we have a store – house of petrol – we call it black gold.”
“No.”
“Who was the shah?”
“I don’t know.”
“Was the common man happy in his reign?”
“How would I know anything about this shah?”
“Was your father happy?”
“No.”
“Yes, he used to talk of his father and how he died of hunger or cold.”
“Anything else?”
His father had told my father that his father used to work in somebody’s house. Died of high fever.”
“What did he do?”
“Physical labour”.

Was Kasim looking ahead to change his lifestyle?

Answer:
Kasim was not even remotely familiar with the idea of living a better life. He too was living in adverse conditions like his father did. In addition, when Rizwan asked him about his son, he said that he was waiting for the boy to get a little older so that he too could join his profession. He didn’t hope that his son would receive education and do better in life.

Passage 4

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“Well, you could live a more comfortable life.”
“We work so hard, yet…”
“Try to understand what I am saying! Out new government has sent us to help you, to talk to you and to understand your problems, so as to give you a better life.”
“I don’t want it.”
“But why?”
“We were asked a lot of questions last time too and then after the procession nobody remembered anything.”
“It won’t happen this time.”
“We slept hungry that night.”
“Why?”
Because all day we were shouting slogans instead of working.”
“Really!”
“Now it’s time for my work. Salaam!”
“Wait it’s time for my work. Salaam!”
“Wait a minute, Chacha!”
“No sir! There must be some labourers near the ditch right now wanting to buy some warm clothes.”

How did Kasim react to Rizwan assuring him a comfortable life?

Answer:
To Kasim, a comfortable life was nothing but a myth. He did not believe that it was possible to live a better life in his country.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“Well, you could live a more comfortable life.”
“We work so hard, yet…”
“Try to understand what I am saying! Out new government has sent us to help you, to talk to you and to understand your problems, so as to give you a better life.”
“I don’t want it.”
“But why?”
“We were asked a lot of questions last time too and then after the procession nobody remembered anything.”
“It won’t happen this time.”
“We slept hungry that night.”
“Why?”
Because all day we were shouting slogans instead of working.”
“Really!”
“Now it’s time for my work. Salaam!”
“Wait it’s time for my work. Salaam!”
“Wait a minute, Chacha!”
“No sir! There must be some labourers near the ditch right now wanting to buy some warm clothes.”

Why did Kasim not believe that the new government was out there to help people like him?

Answer:
Kasim told Rizwan that the last time they were promised a good life, he slept hungry that night after shouting slogans for the new government. The new government had promised a good life, but after it came into power, the poor people were forgotten completely and life was as usual miserable for people like Kasim.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“Well, you could live a more comfortable life.”
“We work so hard, yet…”
“Try to understand what I am saying! Out new government has sent us to help you, to talk to you and to understand your problems, so as to give you a better life.”
“I don’t want it.”
“But why?”
“We were asked a lot of questions last time too and then after the procession nobody remembered anything.”
“It won’t happen this time.”
“We slept hungry that night.”
“Why?”
Because all day we were shouting slogans instead of working.”
“Really!”
“Now it’s time for my work. Salaam!”
“Wait it’s time for my work. Salaam!”
“Wait a minute, Chacha!”
“No sir! There must be some labourers near the ditch right now wanting to buy some warm clothes.”

Where was Kasim heading towards?

Answer:
Kasim used to sell old clothes. He was heading towards a ditch where there were workers. He hoped to find someone who would be in need of some warm clothes. This would give him an opportunity to earn some money.

Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“Well, you could live a more comfortable life.”
“We work so hard, yet…”
“Try to understand what I am saying! Out new government has sent us to help you, to talk to you and to understand your problems, so as to give you a better life.”
“I don’t want it.”
“But why?”
“We were asked a lot of questions last time too and then after the procession nobody remembered anything.”
“It won’t happen this time.”
“We slept hungry that night.”
“Why?”
Because all day we were shouting slogans instead of working.”
“Really!”
“Now it’s time for my work. Salaam!”
“Wait it’s time for my work. Salaam!”
“Wait a minute, Chacha!”
“No sir! There must be some labourers near the ditch right now wanting to buy some warm clothes.”

What address did Kasim give Rizwan so that they could meet the next day?

Answer:
Although Kasim had a home in the village, he did not have a place to stay in the city. Sometimes he slept under a bridge while sometimes he found a place outside a shop. Therefore, he was unable to give any address to Rizwan for their next meeting.

Passage 5

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Only today he had found a job for himself through an acquaintance in the Kihaan newspaper. He had been work on the condition that first he would contribute a few articles, and then he shall be considered for the job. He had been told to submit interviews with five people along with their names and addresses. It was difficult enough to identify these people in this crowded market, To make them talk was an ordeal.

The evening was turning dark. Rizwan was thinking of the unending problems back home. His mother was ill, his father had died almost two years ago and his two younger brothers had to drop out of school. It seemed now it was time to starve.

Why was Rizwan worried as the day came to an end?

Answer:
It was the first day of Rizwan’s work where he had been asked to submit a few articles first so that he could get a permanent job. Unfortunately, it had been a tough day as he had barely been successful at extracting information from Kasim. He was worried about his job.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Only today he had found a job for himself through an acquaintance in the Kihaan newspaper. He had been work on the condition that first he would contribute a few articles, and then he shall be considered for the job. He had been told to submit interviews with five people along with their names and addresses. It was difficult enough to identify these people in this crowded market, To make them talk was an ordeal.

The evening was turning dark. Rizwan was thinking of the unending problems back home. His mother was ill, his father had died almost two years ago and his two younger brothers had to drop out of school. It seemed now it was time to starve.

Was Rizwan’s condition better than Kasim’s?

Answer:
Rizwan’s condition was as pitiful as that of Kasim. Both were victims of the ongoing political drama in Iran. Although Rizwan had got a job in a newspaper, he would be made permanent only if he submitted a few articles first.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Only today he had found a job for himself through an acquaintance in the Kihaan newspaper. He had been work on the condition that first he would contribute a few articles, and then he shall be considered for the job. He had been told to submit interviews with five people along with their names and addresses. It was difficult enough to identify these people in this crowded market, To make them talk was an ordeal.

The evening was turning dark. Rizwan was thinking of the unending problems back home. His mother was ill, his father had died almost two years ago and his two younger brothers had to drop out of school. It seemed now it was time to starve.

Why was it difficult for Rizwan to submit articles to the newspaper?

Answer:
It was very difficult to find people in the crowded market and assume that they would be ready to give an interview. There was a great deal of political unrest in the country at that point of time and people were skeptical of anyone who tried to seek information from them. Given these circumstances, Rizwan found it very difficult to complete his task.

Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Only today he had found a job for himself through an acquaintance in the Kihaan newspaper. He had been work on the condition that first he would contribute a few articles, and then he shall be considered for the job. He had been told to submit interviews with five people along with their names and addresses. It was difficult enough to identify these people in this crowded market, To make them talk was an ordeal.

The evening was turning dark. Rizwan was thinking of the unending problems back home. His mother was ill, his father had died almost two years ago and his two younger brothers had to drop out of school. It seemed now it was time to starve.

How was the condition of Rizwan’s family?

Answer:
Rizwan’s family was not in a god condition. His mother was ill and his father had passed away two years ago. Financial adversities had forced his brothers to drop out of school.

Passage 6

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

He thought for a minute and then wrote his own name and address on Kasim’s interview and drew a deep breath. When he came out he had the satisfaction of knowing that he would be coming for work for the next day, but the problem of finding another name and address for tomorrow was already beginning to worry him. He shook his head as though telling himself – who knows what all may happen tomorrow. If he is still alive, surely he would find a way. His stomach was gnawing with hunger pangs. He was exhausted and famished, and now he simply wanted to reach home as quickly as possible.

What satisfaction did Rizwan have as he came out of the newspaper office?

Answer:
Rizwan had the satisfaction of going to work the next day as he came out if the office after submitting his article.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

He thought for a minute and then wrote his own name and address on Kasim’s interview and drew a deep breath. When he came out he had the satisfaction of knowing that he would be coming for work for the next day, but the problem of finding another name and address for tomorrow was already beginning to worry him. He shook his head as though telling himself – who knows what all may happen tomorrow. If he is still alive, surely he would find a way. His stomach was gnawing with hunger pangs. He was exhausted and famished, and now he simply wanted to reach home as quickly as possible.

Whose name did Rizwan write on the article? Why?

Answer:
Rizwan wrote his name on the article. As Kasim did not give his address, his article would be rejected and he would lose his job. Therefore, he filled in his details instead.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

He thought for a minute and then wrote his own name and address on Kasim’s interview and drew a deep breath. When he came out he had the satisfaction of knowing that he would be coming for work for the next day, but the problem of finding another name and address for tomorrow was already beginning to worry him. He shook his head as though telling himself – who knows what all may happen tomorrow. If he is still alive, surely he would find a way. His stomach was gnawing with hunger pangs. He was exhausted and famished, and now he simply wanted to reach home as quickly as possible.

What thoughts did Rizwan have about tomorrow?

Answer:
Rizwan was worried about the uncertainty that continued to loom over his life even the following day. He had no clue as to how he would find another person for an interview the next day and how he would be able to keep his job.

Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

He thought for a minute and then wrote his own name and address on Kasim’s interview and drew a deep breath. When he came out he had the satisfaction of knowing that he would be coming for work for the next day, but the problem of finding another name and address for tomorrow was already beginning to worry him. He shook his head as though telling himself – who knows what all may happen tomorrow. If he is still alive, surely he would find a way. His stomach was gnawing with hunger pangs. He was exhausted and famished, and now he simply wanted to reach home as quickly as possible.

Describe Rizwan’s character.

Answer:
Rizwan was one among the millions of Irani people who were reeling under uncertainty in Iran. The new government had brought no hope, as the poor continued to be poor. Rizwan is a poverty stricken educated man in search of a way to sustain his family of a widowed mother and two school dropout brothers. Although there isn’t much difference between him and Kasim, it is clear that he makes a desperate attempt to rise above his misery. Unlike Kasim, he does not resign himself to fate. Instead, he struggles to face each day as it comes. He tries hard to persuade Kasim for an interview and it is commendable of him to not lose his cool after many unsuccessful attempts to make Kasim speak up. He continues to pursue Kasim and tries to understand his situation. Although he too is starving and miserable after a thankless day, he wants to head home to eat something and get ready for the next day. He thinks life may change for good if he lives to see the next day. Rizwan’s character teaches us the qualities of faith, patience, and endurance in the worst of times.

ICSE Class 10 English Solutions Small Pain in my Chest [Poem]

Passage 1

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

The soldier boy was sitting calmly underneath that tree.
As I approached it, I could see him beckoning to me.
The battle had been long and hard and lasted through the night
And scores of figures on the ground lay still by morning’s light.

Why was the soldier sitting calmly under the tree?

Answer:
The war had ended by the break of day. This soldier was the only alive one among the hundreds of other who died fighting the war. He was sitting calmly under the tree as there are no more enemies to fight.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

The soldier boy was sitting calmly underneath that tree.
As I approached it, I could see him beckoning to me.
The battle had been long and hard and lasted through the night
And scores of figures on the ground lay still by morning’s light.

What does the phrase ‘sitting calmly’ signify?

Answer:
The phrase ‘sitting calmly’ indicates the stillness and silence which follows a storm. The soldier has no need to be worried or to be on his guard as there are no enemies left to fight, he is therefore calm It also stresses on the fact that his fellow soldiers are all lying dead around him and therefore, he has no one to talk to.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

The soldier boy was sitting calmly underneath that tree.
As I approached it, I could see him beckoning to me.
The battle had been long and hard and lasted through the night
And scores of figures on the ground lay still by morning’s light.

Why did the soldier call the narrator?

Answer:
The soldier was wounded and too tired to get water for himself. He called the narrator hoping that he would help him with some water so that he could quench his thirst and his wounded body could be relieved of some pain.

Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

The soldier boy was sitting calmly underneath that tree.
As I approached it, I could see him beckoning to me.
The battle had been long and hard and lasted through the night
And scores of figures on the ground lay still by morning’s light.

Explain the line ‘And scores of figures on the ground lay still by morning’s light’.

Answer:
The given lines explain how the soldiers fought hard all night. In the morning, the wounded soldier boy who sat under a tree saw all of his fellow soldiers lying dead beside him on the battle field.

Passage 2

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“I wonder if you’d help me, sir”, he smiled as best he could.
“A sip of water on this morn would surely do me good.
We fought all day and fought all night with scarcely any rest –
A sip of water for I have a small pain in my chest.”

What help does the soldier need from the narrator?

Answer:
The soldier is wounded and wants the narrator to give him some water.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“I wonder if you’d help me, sir”, he smiled as best he could.
“A sip of water on this morn would surely do me good.
We fought all day and fought all night with scarcely any rest –
A sip of water for I have a small pain in my chest.”

Why is the soldier smiling?

Answer:
Although the soldier is wounded, like a true fighter he has a smile on his face as he doesn’t believe in showing his pain. He is smiling to assure the narrator that he is just tired after the night’s fight and there is nothing else wrong with him.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“I wonder if you’d help me, sir”, he smiled as best he could.
“A sip of water on this morn would surely do me good.
We fought all day and fought all night with scarcely any rest –
A sip of water for I have a small pain in my chest.”

Why doesn’t the soldier directly tell the narrator that he has been wounded by a bullet?

Answer:
The soldier has faced and suffered the devastating reality of a war and does not want a civilian to be acquainted with the language of guns and bullets. Therefore, he only tells the narrator that he is tired and feeling a slight pain in his chest instead of telling him how seriously injured he is.

Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“I wonder if you’d help me, sir”, he smiled as best he could.
“A sip of water on this morn would surely do me good.
We fought all day and fought all night with scarcely any rest –
A sip of water for I have a small pain in my chest.”

Why do you think the soldier asks for a sip of water?

Answer:
The soldier asks for a sip of water to feel some relief from his pain. He perhaps knows that death is now imminent and wants to drink water for the last time before he falls into an eternal slumber of death.

Passage 3

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

As I looked at him I could see the large stain on his shirt
All reddish – brown from his warm blood mixed in with
Asian dirt.
“Not much”, said he. “I count myself more lucky than the rest.
They’re all gone while I just have a small pain in my chest.”

What does the narrator notice on the soldier’s shirt?

Answer:
The narrator notices a large reddish brown stain on the soldier’s shirt.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

As I looked at him I could see the large stain on his shirt
All reddish – brown from his warm blood mixed in with
Asian dirt.
“Not much”, said he. “I count myself more lucky than the rest.
They’re all gone while I just have a small pain in my chest.”

Why is the stain ‘all reddish brown’?

Answer:
The stain is all reddish brown because it is the soldier’s blood mixed with the mud of the Asian land where the Vietnam War was fought.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

As I looked at him I could see the large stain on his shirt
All reddish – brown from his warm blood mixed in with
Asian dirt.
“Not much”, said he. “I count myself more lucky than the rest.
They’re all gone while I just have a small pain in my chest.”

Why does the soldier count himself lucky? Do you think he is really lucky?

Answer:
The soldier counts himself as lucky because he is alive unlike his fellow mates, who have lost their lives while fighting the war. Unfortunately, he is not lucky as he has been hit with a bullet and will soon die like the other soldiers.

Passage 4

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“Must be fatigue”, he weakly smiled. “I must be getting old.
I see the sun is shining bright and yet I’m feeling cold.
We climbed the hill, two hundred strong, but as we cleared the crest,
The night exploded and I felt this small pain in my chest.”

Who smiled weakly in the extract? Why?

Answer:
The soldier smiles weakly as he is seriously injured but doesn’t want to reveal his pain to a civilian (the narrator). His pain is excruciating but by smiling weakly, he tries to hide it.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“Must be fatigue”, he weakly smiled. “I must be getting old.
I see the sun is shining bright and yet I’m feeling cold.
We climbed the hill, two hundred strong, but as we cleared the crest,
The night exploded and I felt this small pain in my chest.”

Why is the soldier feeling cold?

Answer:
The soldier’s injury is causing his bodily functions to deteriorate as a result of which he is feeling cold even on a warm sunny morning.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“Must be fatigue”, he weakly smiled. “I must be getting old.
I see the sun is shining bright and yet I’m feeling cold.
We climbed the hill, two hundred strong, but as we cleared the crest,
The night exploded and I felt this small pain in my chest.”

Why does the soldier feel that he is getting old? Is the reason that he gives true?

Answer:
The young soldier feels that he is getting old because he is experiencing fatigue and weakness. However, the true reason for his weakness is the bullet in his chest that is pushing him towards death.

Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“Must be fatigue”, he weakly smiled. “I must be getting old.
I see the sun is shining bright and yet I’m feeling cold.
We climbed the hill, two hundred strong, but as we cleared the crest,
The night exploded and I felt this small pain in my chest.”

What does “the night exploded” refer to?

Answer:
The phrase ‘the night exploded’ refers to the sudden attack on the soldier’s army by the enemies which may have included bomb explosions along with the firing of bullets. The soldier along with the other mates had been fighting the entire night. The poet has personified the night to describe how gruesome the war had been.

Passage 5

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“I looked around to get some aid – the only things I found
Were big, deep craters in the earth – bodies on the ground.
I kept on firing at them, sir. I tried to do my best,
But finally sat down with this small pain in my chest.”

Why is the soldier looking around?

Answer:
The soldier is injured and is looking around in the hope of getting some aid.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“I looked around to get some aid – the only things I found
Were big, deep craters in the earth – bodies on the ground.
I kept on firing at them, sir. I tried to do my best,
But finally sat down with this small pain in my chest.”

Does the soldier find help? What does he see around him?

Answer:
The soldier doesn’t find help, instead he sees deep craters in the earth and dead bodies of his fellow soldiers around him.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“I looked around to get some aid – the only things I found
Were big, deep craters in the earth – bodies on the ground.
I kept on firing at them, sir. I tried to do my best,
But finally sat down with this small pain in my chest.”

Why did the soldier have to stop firing?

Answer:
The soldier fought bravely until finally he was wounded by a shot and had to stop firing. .

Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“I looked around to get some aid – the only things I found
Were big, deep craters in the earth – bodies on the ground.
I kept on firing at them, sir. I tried to do my best,
But finally sat down with this small pain in my chest.”

What does the soldier want to justify when he says “I tried to do my best”?

Answer:
When the soldier tells the narrator that he tried to do his best, he is emphasising on the fact that he fought with all his might to bring down the enemies and keep his fellow mates safe.

Passage 6

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“I’m grateful, sir”, he whispered, as I handed my canteen
And smiled a smile that was, U think, the brightest that I’ve seen.
“Seems silly that a man my size so full of vim and zest,
Could find himself defeated by a small pain in his chest.”

What according to the soldier is silly?

Answer:
According to him, it is silly for a soldier, who ought to be full of energy and vigour to be defeated by a small pain in the chest.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“I’m grateful, sir”, he whispered, as I handed my canteen
And smiled a smile that was, U think, the brightest that I’ve seen.
“Seems silly that a man my size so full of vim and zest,
Could find himself defeated by a small pain in his chest.”

What is the actual condition of the solider?

Answer:
The soldier has been fatally wounded in the war and is currently in acute pain. However, he portrays exactly the opposite of his true condition. He tries to show that he is fine and that it is just a small pain in his chest. In reality, he is counting the last few minutes of his life.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“I’m grateful, sir”, he whispered, as I handed my canteen
And smiled a smile that was, U think, the brightest that I’ve seen.
“Seems silly that a man my size so full of vim and zest,
Could find himself defeated by a small pain in his chest.”

What is the soldier grateful for?

Answer:
The soldier is grateful that the narrator gives him some water to sip in his last moments.

Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“I’m grateful, sir”, he whispered, as I handed my canteen
And smiled a smile that was, U think, the brightest that I’ve seen.
“Seems silly that a man my size so full of vim and zest,
Could find himself defeated by a small pain in his chest.”

Why is the smile of the soldier described as the brightest by the narrator?

Answer:
The narrator understands that in order to hide his pain, the soldier is trying to force a smile on his face. Beneath the smiling face is a worn out body and a heart shredded apart by the death and destruction around him. Therefore, the narrator says that his is the brightest smile he has ever seen.

Passage 7

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“What would my wife be thinking of her man so strong and grown,
If she could see me sitting here, too weak to stand alone?
Could my mother have imagined, as she held me to her breast,
That I’d be sitting HERE one day with this pain in my chest?”

What about his wife and mother is the soldier thinking?

Answer:
The soldier wonders what his wife would think of him if she knew that her husband, a strong soldier, could not even bear a small pain in his chest and stand alone. Then he thinks about his mother, he wondering how his mother will react after knowing that a boy that she held close to her heart is sitting in the battlefield with a fatal wound.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“What would my wife be thinking of her man so strong and grown,
If she could see me sitting here, too weak to stand alone?
Could my mother have imagined, as she held me to her breast,
That I’d be sitting HERE one day with this pain in my chest?”

Why does the soldier always refer to his pain as small?

Answer:
It is a known fact that the injury caused by explosions or bullet wounds can be very serious, and at most times, fatal. However, the soldier constantly stresses on the fact that the pain in his chest is small or little. Through this he wishes to tell the narrator that the physical and mental trauma that soldiers suffer during the war is much severe than a bullet wound but they are trained to deal with it for the good of their nation.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“What would my wife be thinking of her man so strong and grown,
If she could see me sitting here, too weak to stand alone?
Could my mother have imagined, as she held me to her breast,
That I’d be sitting HERE one day with this pain in my chest?”

Why do you think the soldier is thinking about his family?

Answer:
The soldier is thinking about his family as he realises that he is living the final moments of his life. In these moments, he tries to think about his life in retrospect, without any lament about the war that is taking him to his death. All that he does is talk to the narrator calmly as if wanting to be heard in his final minutes of being alive. He thinks about his family especially his wife and mother who he knows will wonder how a soldier like him couldn’t escape the explosion despite being trained to dodge life threatening circumstances like these. As he knows that he will not be able to talk to his family for the last time or listen to them, he ponders over what they might say if they see him in this condition.

Passage 8

Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“Can it be getting dark so soon?” He winced up at the sun.
“It’s growing dim and I thought that the day had just begun.
I think, before I travel on, I’ll get a little rest……
And, quietly, the boy died from that small pain in his chest.

I don’t recall what happened then. I think I must have cried;
I put my arms around him and I pulled him to my side
And, as I held him to me, I could feel our wounds were pressed
The large one in my heart against the small one in his chest.

What do the first two lines of the given extract tell about the soldier’s condition?

Answer:
The first two lines of the stanza are among the last few lines of the poem where the soldier succumbs to his injuries. In the given lines, the soldier winces up at the sun and tells the narrator that he feels as if it is getting dark soon although the day has just began.

Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“Can it be getting dark so soon?” He winced up at the sun.
“It’s growing dim and I thought that the day had just begun.
I think, before I travel on, I’ll get a little rest……
And, quietly, the boy died from that small pain in his chest.

I don’t recall what happened then. I think I must have cried;
I put my arms around him and I pulled him to my side
And, as I held him to me, I could feel our wounds were pressed
The large one in my heart against the small one in his chest.

Explain “before I travel on”.

Answer:
In the third line of the given extract, the soldier is finally seen telling the narrator that it is time for him to embrace death and ‘travel on’ but he must get a little rest before moving on.

Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“Can it be getting dark so soon?” He winced up at the sun.
“It’s growing dim and I thought that the day had just begun.
I think, before I travel on, I’ll get a little rest……
And, quietly, the boy died from that small pain in his chest.

I don’t recall what happened then. I think I must have cried;
I put my arms around him and I pulled him to my side
And, as I held him to me, I could feel our wounds were pressed
The large one in my heart against the small one in his chest.

What do you think are the feelings of the narrator in this stanza?

Answer:
The narrator has been a patient listener for the wounded soldier throughout their conversation. The soldier tells him how he fought the war all night along with the others, how his family will think about him after his death, and how he is luckier than his dead soldier friends to have lived till the break of this day.
At the end of this stanza, the narrator tells the readers that the soldier quietly dies from the small pain in his chest. The narrator feels helpless and remorseful to see the young soldier succumb to his injuries. In their short conversation the narrator has learned a lot about the soldier and cannot help but feel overwhelmed by the fact that the soldier, who put up a brave fight against death, has now humbly accepted it.

Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“Can it be getting dark so soon?” He winced up at the sun.
“It’s growing dim and I thought that the day had just begun.
I think, before I travel on, I’ll get a little rest……
And, quietly, the boy died from that small pain in his chest.

I don’t recall what happened then. I think I must have cried;
I put my arms around him and I pulled him to my side
And, as I held him to me, I could feel our wounds were pressed
The large one in my heart against the small one in his chest.

How does the narrator express his feelings for the dead soldier?

Answer:
When the soldier dies, a kind of numbness comes over the narrator; he mentions not being able to remember what happened next. He further says that he must have cried but does not seem to have a clear memory of it. He pulls the soldier to his side and as he holds him close to his chest, he feels a large pain in his own heart. The narrator says both their chests pressed to each other are wounded by this war.; His heart is emotionally wounded by the loss of the soldier’s life while the soldier’s chest is wounded the physical injury and trauma from the war.